NEW YORK, Oct 9 (Reuters) - World shares traded little changed on Monday after key German and U.S. indexes hit record peaks, while oil prices received a lift from OPEC comments that signaled further possible cuts in crude production.

The U.S. dollar rose against the Japanese yen but was lower against the euro and a basket of key currencies after hovering near a 10-week high.

Germany’s DAX closed at an all-time high while Chinese stocks hit 21-month highs after a week-long break in a delayed reaction to a targeted easing by China’s central bank announced on Sept. 30.

Equity markets around the world are marching higher in a wave of optimism over global growth.

In Europe, Spain’s blue-cap IBEX rose to its highest in a week on hopes that Catalonia would take a step back this week from a unilateral declaration of independence from Spain.

Catalonia’s secessionist leader faced increased pressure to abandon plans to declare the region independent from Spain, with France and Germany expressing support for the country’s unity.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index rose 0.20 percent to close at 1,533.82, while the DAX rose 0.16 percent.

MSCI’s gauge of stock indexes in 47 markets around the globe was flat after coming within a whisker of setting an intraday high. Stocks on Wall Street were little changed, though the Dow and Nasdaq earlier set intraday highs.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 14.94 points, or 0.07 percent, to 22,758.73. The S&P 500 lost 3.33 points, or 0.13 percent, to 2,546 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 4.24 points, or 0.06 percent, to 6,585.94.

The three main Wall Street indexes, along with the MSCI global benchmark, hit closing highs throughout last week except for Friday. The upcoming earnings season will justify the lofty valuations for U.S. stocks, analysts said.

“The relatively high valuation, where the market is trading 17 to 18 times earnings, is merited by a very low interest rate environment,” said Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh.

“We are not in danger yet if you keep your eye on rates.”

Earnings at S&P 500 companies are expected to have gained 4.9 percent in the third quarter, according to Thomson Reuters data, down from double-digit growth in the first two quarters of this year but still healthy.

Secretary-General Mohammad Barkindo of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries said on Sunday that talks were ongoing to extend a production agreement beyond March 2018 and that more oil-producing nations may join the pact.

Brent rose 17 cents to settle at $55.79 per barrel, while U.S. crude settled at $49.58, up 29 cents on the day.

The dollar index - which measures the greenback against a basket of six other major currencies - on Friday hit 94.267 , its highest since July 20 following stronger-than-expected average hourly earnings last month.

The dollar index fell 0.16 percent, with the euro up 0.15 percent to $1.1751. The Japanese yen weakened 0.03 percent versus the greenback at 112.68 per dollar.

The U.S. bond market was closed for the Columbus Day holiday.

U.S. gold futures for December delivery settled up 0.8 percent at $1,285.